Scuff liner is a term used to generally describe a reinforcement panel that is installed within a cargo carrying vehicle (trailer, intermodal container, van body, rail car, etc.) that protects the interior wall from impacts/abrasion experienced during loading and unloading of freight. The scuff liners are constructed of various materials which can include steel, aluminum, wood, plastic, composite, etc. The materials have various geometries ranging from 18 Ga corrugated steel panels to thick slabs of wood that can be as thick as 1 inch. The design challenge associated with a scuff liner is centered on providing protection for the lower 12-48″ of the wall while maintaining the widest dimension possible between the interior walls of the vehicle.
Traditionally, scuff liners have been designed with extra thickness to provide sacrificial material to endure collisions and abrasion between the objects (e.g. fork lift tines, wheels, etc.) and the scuff. Designing thicker sections of the scuff liner, however, reduces the available width between the interior walls of the vehicle as opposed to the thinner sections of the scuff liner. Design considerations, such as weight and cost, are a concern as well. For example, thicker sections adds weight, cost and reduces the available width mentioned above. In addition, the lighter the scuff the more freight can be hauled within the cargo carrying device.
Another concern, is that scuff liners become damaged in several different ways. For example, fork truck tines and pallets impact and damage the scuff liners during the loading and unloading processes. This damage can be a puncture/gouge via a tine or abrasion caused by pallets, tines, or fork truck wheels.